The Calcutta High Court has granted permission to West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari to conduct a sit-in protest (dharna) outside the Raj Bhawan, the official residence of the Governor. According to the court's order issued on Wednesday, Adhikari is permitted to stage the dharna from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 14.
The court has imposed a restriction that no more than 300 people can gather for the protest, which will be held opposite the north gate of the Raj Bhawan. Suvendu Adhikari, who serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, sought permission for this dharna to highlight the issue of post-poll violence in the state.
Adhikari had previously written to the Kolkata Police requesting permission for the protest, emphasizing the need for the BJP, as a national party recognized by the Election Commission of India, to have the same rights as regional parties that have previously held political events at the Raj Bhawan.
This move comes after incidents where Adhikari and alleged victims of post-poll violence were denied entry into the Raj Bhavan by police, citing Section 144 around the Governor's residence. West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose had earlier criticized the state government, accusing them of preventing victims of violence from accessing the Raj Bhavan and describing the situation in some parts of the state as a "dance of death".
